The arrival of iOS 26 has brought an exciting new feature to iPhone users: the Preview app. This app, inspired by its Mac counterpart, offers a dedicated space for viewing and editing PDFs and images, and it's a game-changer for many.
But here's where it gets interesting: Apple rarely introduces brand new system apps, making this a notable addition. iOS 26 also includes Apple Games, but let's focus on Preview for now.
The Power of Preview
Preview offers a more streamlined approach to managing documents on your iPhone and iPad. Before iOS 26, PDFs and images were viewed within the Files app, but now, they have their dedicated space. This separation has its advantages.
For instance, imagine you're in the process of buying a home, as I recently was. iOS 26's Preview app made it easier to access and view various PDFs right on my iPhone, streamlining the process.
The Files app's 'Quick Look' function is a game-changer here. Even though PDFs now open in Preview by default, you can still view them directly in Files via Quick Look. This means you can have one PDF open in Preview and another in Files, making multitasking a breeze.
On iPad, the new windowing system in iPadOS 26 takes things to the next level. I can keep Preview in a large window on the left side of the screen while Files resides in a narrow window on the right. This setup allows me to view a PDF in Preview while simultaneously navigating my Files database. It's a highly efficient way to hop between different documents.
Preview also offers a more comprehensive set of tools for editing PDFs, bringing it closer to the Mac's Preview app. I've been using its features to add and remove pages, sign documents, and fill out PDFs with ease.
The ability to use Preview and Files together, along with an expanded toolset, has made Preview a valuable addition to both iPhone and iPad.
So, what's your take on Preview in iOS 26? Share your experiences in the comments!
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